Somebody Had To Be Blaise
by Findarto Sirfalas
Summary: Blaise Zabini is a very special young wizard! His mum's a murderous nymphomaniac, his best friends are perverts, and he's a Black Italian who just happens to hate his father. What's a boy to do? Well, with friends like Harry, Draco, and co. Find out!
1. Chapter 1

Blaise felt sick.

It had only been a few moments before when his stepfather, Alecto, had asked him if he was ready, before he felt his insides collapse against themselves and his whole body 'pop'. Blaise was not a fan of apparition.

He landed on the ground inside of the train station with a loud crack, with his stepfather and sister. Getting his land legs while stumbling a bit, he looked around. There were people everywhere. Most of the witches and wizards. And for those who were not a witch or wizard, there were those who spawned wizards. At times like this Blaise longed to feel a close connection to these people. for someone who was used to spending most of his time alone he still yearned to have some sort of belonging. It was one of the reasons he laughed in the face of bigotry and separation, he just didn't belong. Blaise looked over at his sister, Serenity. She was the product of his Mother's sixth and current marriage to Alecto Fawcett, and she looked nothing like him.

Whereas he was a brunette with vivid green eyes and eggnog yellow skin, she was the opposite. A short, blonde girl with charming blue eyes and a pink rose complexion, she was also on the baby fat side slightly. He smiled. Part of him loved her, and the other part hated her. It was unfair if one looked at it, she was the sixth marriage, he was from the first. His family was already ruined before she was even born.

In addition to his mother, he had a father as most children do. Armando Zabini was an Italian Wizard who was out of Blaise's life and trying to work on starting a new. It was applaudable that he had escaped with his life, as the other husbands of his mother all had some sort of tragic ending to theirs.

"Are you ready?" Mr. Fawcett asked Blaise.

"Yes, thank you," Blaise said. "I believe I have everything that I need. Thank you for the er… ride over here. It was much appreciated." Blaise had always called him by his formal name since the day they had met, and what a meeting it was.

It was the day after the funeral of husband number five, when his mother had marched in to the house and introduced them. She said he was Alecto Fawcett and they were now married, and they marched upstairs. Blaise had turned his head and continued on with his book.

Books had always been there for Blaise from an early age, he had only been eleven months old when he had learned to read by himself. Of course as the years went by, his love of books found a partner to be coupled with: magic.

He usually got what he wanted, which was not much, so it was no surprise when he turned nine that he got the demanded magical wand for his birthday. And here he was not even eleven yet and attending Hogwarts. His letter to the school had been very appealing.

Turning around and kissing his little sister on the cheek, Blaise picked up his bags and hopped on to the train. It was in his mind to try and find the nearest empty compartment and spend the time to himself. But, things were not in the plans for that on this day.

There was a slight commotion down towards the back of the train and Blaise had to stop, while a witch with brilliant orange hair turned to him and the other students- first years as well it seemed- to explain.

"Sorry dears," she said in a cockney accent. "It appears poor Bowle has been sick all over this one, and a magical flu too. Well, let me just magick this last compartment bigger, I hope you all don't mind sharing but it is the only one left, and there isn't that much time before you get to Hogwarts. There."She took out her wand from her blue and white stained uniform with customary apron, and swirled it around in the direction of the last compartment. A shot of gold flew from it and struck the door, and she looked satisfied with her work before taking her trolley and walking away towards the front end of the train, patting Blaise on the head as she went by.

He hated that and tried immediately to put his hair back in to the perfect shape he had gotten it. Being that his parentage was of mixed heritage he had always struggled to find a way to do his hair, should it be curly or straight? He had settled on a long look of waves and been done with it.

Waiting for the other children to enter the compartment so he wasn't stuck with the middle(he was claustrophobic), Blaise entered last. He sat down on the end of the seat on the right from the door. Next time him was a girl with bushy brown hair, and an air of something foreign to her, a boy with a toad, and a boy with flaming red hair on the end. There was a small, one-person seat attached underneath the window, and a girl with short, chin-length black hair sat there. She was a little on the heavy side, and was sitting there looking nervous. On the other seat, there was Draco across from him (whom he had known for a long while from parental get-togethers), and a boy with black hair and green eyes with a small lighting shaped star on his forehead.

Seeing that this was an unfair match of seats, Blaise gave Draco a look and he scooted over, while Blaise took the seat next to him. He smiled over at the girl with the bushy hair so as not to appear rude.

The children sat in silence for a while as the hum of the train and the scenery of mountains and greens went by. This was almost too much for Blaise. he liked quiet sometimes, but not when there was a room full of people like this. He coughed, and everyone looked at him.

"So," he said trying to break the ice. "I see we are all first years. First years who I hope can… talk. Well, my name is Blaise Zabini, and I know you Draco, who are the rest of you guys… and girls?"

"Hermione Granger," the girl with the bushy hair said extending her hand and shaking Blaise's with it.

"Granger… Granger," Draco said to himself, "you wouldn't be related to the Grangers of Granger and Son's Apothecary would you?"

"No, I am the first one in my family to have magic, so I don't believe so, sorry."

"Mud—-"

"Draco!" Blaise said, warningly. "Be nice, there is nothing wrong with being a muggleborn, without them we would have all died off by now anyways."

"Yeah, Malfoy," the boy with red hair said. "We can't all be marrying each other's dogs, like _your_ family does!"

"Oh, Weasley, that one is rich," Draco said. "This from the boy whose family has a billion children, I swear your mum has more babies than the population of China. And, that oaf of a father of yours, can't even take care of all of them!"

"Honestly!" Blaise said, taking out his wand. "If you don't settle down, I will hex you all. Draco, you know I never kid about magic, do you want to take the chance?"

"Fine," Draco said sitting back in his seat.

"Now, where were we?" Blaise said. "Oh that's right, introductions, who is left now?"

"I suppose me," the toad boy said in a quiet voice, "I'm Neville. Neville Longbottom."

"Nice to meet you Neville," Blaise said, "Your last name sounds familiar. I think my mum knew your parents, were they the…"

"Yeah," Neville said with a meaningful look in his eyes. Blaise nodded.

"And, you, it's your turn Millie!" Blaise said to the girl sitting on the seat by herself.

"Yes," the girl said, playing with her long hair, "I'm Millicent Bullstrode, nice to meet you all I'm sure."

"And, that boy who likes to argue," Blaise said, "with the charming red hair, is Ron Weasley."

Ron grinned sarcastically as he took out a wonky looking corned beef sandwich from a brown paper bag.

"So," Blaise said to the quiet boy with the scar, "who are you?"

"Harry Potter," the boy said. Most of the people in the compartment gasped, except for Blaise and Draco.

"Figures," Blaise said, "and I saw the scar too. So, now that everyone is introduced, what do we do now?"

"I don't know, what the hell do you think? We talk and stuff," Draco said throwing his hands up in the air. "I'll start. What do you think about pureblood versus non?"

"I think that," Blaise said, "most people who even care about it, are very very little people who need a boost of self esteem."

"Oh thanks, Blaise, I was just asking!" Draco said.

"How about toads?" Neville said.

"Toads?" Ron questioned.

"Yeah, don't you hate how they're always running off somewhere? Bloody annoying that is…"

"Well," Millicent said, "seeing as you are the only person in this compartment with a toad, Neville, we will all have to take your word on that."

"You know what I hate?" Blaise said. "When adults tell you one thing, and do the other. Well, not just adults, people in general."

"Oh yeah," Hermione said, "I hate that as well. Especially if it's something you are really looking forward too, and then they renege at the last second. Happens all the time, and usually for a very poor reason. Like, it's too hot outside for them. Or, they smell rain, or are too tired."

"Yeah," Draco said, "or they just got arrested. Bastards. What?" Everyone had turned to stare at Draco with mixed looks of disbelief.

"What about families?" Blaise said. "They're not all they are made out to be, are they?"

"You can say that again," Harry said. "I could tell you things that would make your skin crawl, about my uncle and aunt, and Little Dudders."

"Dudders?" Ron said.

"My jolly cousin, he is a great brute."

"Hey!" Millicent said. "Don't go blaming the people who like to eat. We can't help it, you guys are skinny wankers."

"What about sex?" Neville said.

"What about it?" Hermione said.

"Are you just horny, Neville," Draco said, "trying to get your kinks out tonight?"

"My what!"

"Oh you know," Millicent said, "your kinks. Sex, wanking, scary hippogriff, electric kneazle, erotic squib, come on, Neville, you know!"

"What is an electric kneazle?" asked Hermione.

"Trust me, Hermione," Ron said, "you don't want to know!"

"Oh honestly," Millicent said, "it's when you take two--"

"Millicent," Ron said, "now I don't want to know!"

"Well, sorry, Ron, I did not know you were going to be such a pansy about it. I mean, I always thought you guys liked talking about things like that. MEN!"

"Oh, bloody hell, woman! I am not a pansy, I just mean it is not proper to talk about such things in front of lady folk!"

"Why, are you scared, Ronald? Is this too much woman for you?"

"We are eleven! I don't think Hermione wants to know something I don't even know, and at home they called me the dirty one!"

"I know! But, if you cannot handle an eleven-year-old girl, I cannot wait to see your wedding night. A visit to the apothecary might be in order to make it even happen."

"Hey!" Harry said. "I actually got that joke…"

"Watch out," Draco said, "for boy genius here."

"Hey!" Ron said. "You cannot talk to him like that, Malfoy, especially when you have a family like yours!"

"That's it Weasley, I curse your whole family!"

"Wait! What? How can you… Take that back… Malfoy!"

"Nope, sorry, it's too late now. You all will just have to sit around and be cursed for the rest of your lives. Not my fault."

"What the hell do you mean, it's not your fault? You just cursed my family!"

"Okay, well, I cursed them but I didn't curse them. You see what I am saying?"

"No."

"Merlin! Weasley, you are so daft. It's sort of like, I am in love with you but, I am not in love with you, you know?"

"You're in love with me? Malfoy, we just met!"

"Ron," Harry said.

"Yes," Ron answered.

"You were not in the accelerated class at school, were you?"

"Obviously," Hermione said.

"Wait, and what is that supposed to mean, Hermione," Ron said.

"So, Harry," Draco said, "what is it like you know, being the Boy-Who-Lived and all?"

"I am not sure, yet. Hagrid, he happens to be the groundskeeper at the school who came and got me, says that people might not be so kind always…"

"Wait. What do you mean, came and got you? Why didn't your caretakers bring you to the station?"

"Caretakers? I live with my aunt, uncle, and cousin, they are muggles and not the best ones at that and, they did bring me to the station, they had to get my cousin's tail removed."

"Muggles! Harry, that is disgusting! And here I was, thinking of getting a bit to eat, and he goes and mentions something dirty like muggles."

"Draco," Hermione said, "you know, my parents are muggles."

"Details, why must you bother me with your details,"Draco said waving his hand about.

"Why, Draco," Millicent said, "I do believe this is the first time you have even been in the presence of a muggleborn and liked it."

"Well, they can't all be bad. Most, but not all."

"Thanks, I'm sure you meant that nicely," Hermione said.

"My parents did not bring me to the station," Blaise said distantly. "It's sort of funny really, when you think about it."

"Oh, Blaise," Draco said, "how many times have I told you? Don't worry about it, it's not your fault, it's the temptation of freedom."

"What is not your fault?" Hermione asked with a serious look on her face.

"Nothing," Millicent said defensively.

"That my parents are assholes," Blaise said simply.

"Blaise!" Millicent said.

"It's true," Blaise said and he began to laugh.

The scenes outside the train had begun to change, and the simple comforts had begun to get foreign. Gone were the subtle glimpses of villages and now they were replaced with calm and secluded mountains, capped with glistening snow. The sky overhead had turned a calm, mauve color and was dotted with clouds that seemed to be made of magic. The sounds of students on the trains seemed to get even louder, restless, as they proceeded to get closer and closer to their final destination. The compartment seemed to get colder as they went on, and they all decided to change in to their robes. This caused a little hint of embarrassment at first, among the group.

"Don't you peek," Millicent said holding up her fist to the boys.

In the midst of changing clothing, the letter he had received earlier fell from Blaise's pocket and he picked it up once he had gotten in to his silk robes. He opened it with an air of apprehension, and the rest of the children looked at him sympathetically.

He skimmed the neatly written note in a fraction of the time it took to open it, and passed it over to Draco with a wry look on his face.

Draco read aloud, getting a nod from Blaise beforehand.

"Dear Sire,

It is with disdain that I could not have you over the summer. I know it is an important time for you, starting finishing school and such. I also regret you were not at my wedding ceremony this summer, but you would have been… An awkward reminder during the situation, and Melina, that is my new wife, did not need to cope with that sort of hassle on her happiest day. I do hope you understand. I am apologetic that I did not venture to get you a birthday present either, but in the business of the time I only had one person on my mind, and I had to get her presents, again you understand. I shall think over your proposal in a future letter.

Regards,

Armando Zabini"

"Wow," Hermione said.

"Wow, is that all you can say?" Millicent asked.

"It's nothing," Blaise said, "I mean… Some people don't even have parents, like Harry or Neville so I am still lucky. But, I just mean, he could have sent a present. I think it's a little strange when, Lucius Malfoy, a man whom I have spent a total of ten minutes in a room with, can send me a present, and my own father can't. It's not like he doesn't have the money, even- he's one of the richest wizards in Europe. Well, at least, he had a nice wedding, and I had a nice party."

"Blaise," Draco said, "we spent the day in your room."

"Still," Millicent chimed in. "I mean it was a nice day. We talked, and played games, we had fun. What more can you need, you had friends, right?"

"Right," Blaise said smiling as his face reddened.

"I know how you feel," Neville and Harry said at the same time.

"It's okay," Blaise said, "really. Let's just, talk about something else."

Neville leaned over and gave Blaise a hug, before Hermione gave him a pat on the back.

"It's okay mate," Ron said happily. "How about those Chudley Canons? I think they are seriously in there this Quidditch season."

"Once again, Weasley," Draco said, "you are showing your class. Those dreadful Canons, honestly! I'm really thinking the Shooting Comets will take it this year, they just got a shipload of new brooms as well, no way they can be stopped."

"What is it with boys, and sports?" Hermione asked.

"Get used to it, Hermione," Millicent said giving her a look. "They are about to go through puberty, this is what most of our conversations will be like for a while. Sad really."

"Well," Ron said, "what do you expect us to talk about? Cosmetic charms, and the newest boy band on the Wizarding Network?"

"Nothing wrong with cosmetic charms," Draco said blushing.

"I'm working on my figure," Neville said and everyone erupted in to laughter. "I'm serious."

"Well," Draco said wiping his eyes. "Good luck with that then, Neville."

The group all stood up as the sky had darkened. Looking out the window, they got excited as the train pulled in to the station. From their compartment, they could see outside, the place of their destinies was looming overhead Hogwarts was outside.


	2. The Sorting

Thanks to Tina for beta-ing!

The night sky met the Hogwarts students like a cloud of mosquitoes. They were situated at a train station. The platform was paved with golden concrete and the train tracks were blue and glowing. There were rows of trees overhead and to one side there were rows and rows of carriages to carry older students to the castle. To the right there was a lake of black silk and armies of boats floating atop it. A giant man with a greying beard was signaling to the First Years wildly and waving his arms in the air. One arm was filled with a lantern of blue light from a candle.

"First Years over here!" The giant man shouted in a harsh cockney accent.

Harry shouted over to him, "Hagrid!" and ran up to the man giving him a hug. Blaise and the other First Years stood back for a minute before approaching and nodding at him.

Hagrid returned their nod and directed them to the boats that were being filled by the other First Years.

Splitting themselves up the children got in to the boats four in each. Blaise was in the boat with Harry, Ron, and Draco. As everyone had gotten a seat and Neville had stopped his toad Trevor from jumping overboard the ships began to move by themselves toward the castle.

The cloud of water began to be cut with ribbons of waves as they moved through. The sky above was scattered with lines and lines of stars that seemed to have shown up to greet the students on their first night. Draco gasped as they went under a bridge and a giant tentacle tried to reach up and grab a hold of Ron.

"That's the giant squid!" Neville exclaimed from the boat next to them on the right.

They inched closer and closer to the castle as it lit up with orange lights to welcome them. The wind began to pick up a little bit and flow through their hair. The boats reached shore and were suddenly floating off of the water and to the land.

Reaching the castle steps they hovered down the ground enough so everyone could get out. Blaise jumped out and landed on his feet and offered his hand to Ron and Harry while Draco preened over and fell in to the sand. Blaise laughed at him before helping him up and using his wand to clean off his face.

"How did you---" Draco asked.

"I'll tell you later," Blaise said giving him the shush sign.

Seeing the castle for the first time was like magic to Blaise. Instantly he felt that feeling of home from it and his face lit up with a smile. As the rest of the students got on to the dry land and approached the castle the large stone doors opened up and a middle-aged woman with a stern face and long black hair stood there waiting. On her head she wore a large black witch's hat and on her face a pair of small round spectacles.

Hagrid approached her and smiled. "Evening, Professor McGonagall, a bunch of First Years here for you."

"Thank you, Hagrid," she said calmly. "I will take them from now."

Blaise got the impression that this was a witch whom it would be very unwise to cross in the near future. She directed them to follow her and walked in to the large school doors.

They walked up the old stone steps slowly ambling forward in to the school.

The floors of the halls were covered in stone which was shiny although cracked in places. Overall it was cold inside and the walls had the essence of secrets spilling out from them. Suits of armor lined the halls and portraits hung above their heads as the witches and wizards inside them looked on in interest and some in annoyance at being disturbed this time of night. The walls were grey and made of stone as well and some places had the hint of being sunken in and not all there.

Professor McGonagall led them inside and when everyone had entered the doors to the castle closed by themselves. She looked over the new group of First Years disapprovingly as if judging them already and turned her back on them.

"I shall prepare the hall for The Sorting do not cause a disruption while I am gone or you shall regret it," she said warningly as she entered the Great Hall and closed the door behind her. The children ambled around talking amongst themselves discussing the task at hand.

"I once heard you have to wrestle a troll," Ron said smartly.

"Oh don't be silly, Ron," Hermione said rolling her eyes, "the school would never do that. Still I wish I knew what it was we had to do. Can you believe there was nothing about it in Hogwarts; A History? I suppose they keep it a secret for a reason; The Sorting."

"Maybe they will make us show our magical powers?" Draco questioned.

"No," Blaise said, "that would not be fair to the muggleborns or purebloods. No one really knows magic yet."

"Well look here," a thick and Irish voice said from behind them. "If it isn't Harry Potter! Funny I thought you would be taller."

"That's what I thought too," Ron said. "Sorry, Harry."

"No offense," Harry said to Ron. "And who are, you, exactly?"

"The name is Finnigan; Seamus Finnigan," the boy said with his hair slicked to one side and freckled face aghast. "And you might find that it doesn't do you good to be seen talking to the trash spawn of Death Eaters. You wouldn't want people to get the wrong impression would you?"

"I think I can decide who my friends are for myself thank you," Harry said.

"Yeah," Blaise said. "And, Seamus, I can stick this wand up somewhere that hasn't been stretched out yet if you make another insult about my family. Because first they were never Death Eaters."

"I think he meant me," Draco said tapping Blaise on the shoulder.

"Bugger!" Blaise shouted. "I knew who he meant. I was just utilizing a chance to threaten someone; in public too."

"Boys," Millicent said to Hermione, rolling her eyes.

"Well, Potter, it looks like you just made a mistake," Seamus said glaring at him evilly.

"Yes," Blaise said. "We know, you, in all your eleven years of wisdom will enact your enormous wrath upon him. Now go away somewhere be gone. Be gone!"

Seamus walked over to another boy who had warm brown skin and dark eyes and they glowered over at Harry.

Something cold went down Blaise's back and he shivered turning around rapidly and staring through a sheet of white flesh. A ghost was standing in him or rather he was standing in a ghost. Looking up he saw stains of what he assumed was blood on the coat of the man and the face was long and angular with a mustache and old styled pirate hat.

"Hello," Blaise said waving his hand around inside of the ghost. "I'm Blaise Zabini and you are?"

"Charmed to meet you," the man said looking down at Blaise. "I would be the Bloody Baron The Ghost of Slytherin."

Just then a loud murmur of excitement rose from the students and Blaise looked up the ghosts of the school had strolled through amidst conversation. Each house at Hogwarts had a ghost that represented it and the Bloody Baron was Slytherin's ghost.

"I say," a particularly stout and short man said floating above the air with a peach tint around him. "Who are you?"

"First Years I assume," another ghost who was tall and lanky and had what looked to be lacerations around his neck said. "Hope to see you in my house… Gryffindor!"

"I don't think they know that we're really aliens come to study wizard traditions," Harry said whispering to Draco.

"What the hell is an alien?" Draco said giving Harry a serious look of confusion.

"No, dears," a woman with what could be assumed rosy cheeks said. "Aim for Hufflepuff and we will get along just fine."

This caused a bit of a riff between the ghosts as they began to argue about which house was better and why the students should pick it.

"Well if that's how you feel," The Bloody Baron said to the lady after she had muttered off something particularly cruel about Slytherin. "Then you can stick Peeves the Poltergeist right up your dusty---"

"That will be all," a voice called from the doorway. Professor McGonagall was back.

"She's not even the bloody ghost of Hufflepuff!" he said.

"That will be all," McGonagall repeated after clearing her throat this time.

The ghosts gave her a look and sauntered in to the Great Hall floating through the stone wall.

"First Years this way," she said motioning them towards the Great Hall.

Inside the Hall was magnificent. The ceiling had been bewitched to look like the night sky and was filled with a cloud of stars all shinning brightly. There were four tables in the center of the room with a small walk way between each one. Each table was filled with students looking towards the First Years in wonder as they awaited the sorting. Blaise looked over at the Gryffindors under the table that had a red and gold banner hanging over it. They looked like a group of self-important baboons to him.

Professor McGonagall had them stand in two lines by alphabetical order as she stopped them in front of an old and battered hat on a wooden stool.

"When I call your name," she said looking down at them sternly. "You will proceed up to the stool and place the hat on your head. Once it has had a chance to evaluate you, you will be sorted and will join your new house at their table. I expect this to run smoothly this year and that means no problems or else they will be dealt with."

Ron gulped audibly and looked over at Blaise with a look of nervousness on his face. Ron of course would be going close to last while Blaise himself would be dead last. They could laud and look on as the rest of the students got to go through this first; just incase it was dangerous or anything.

Hannah Abbott was the first to be called and she was visibly shaking as she approached the stool and sat down with the hat on her head. It had barely touched her blonde hairs before it shouted out "Hufflepuff!" and sent her on her way as another student took her place.

As the sorting proceeded to go on there were many shocks along the night. The first of course was when Hermione Granger put on the hat. She had it on for a total of twelve minutes, Blaise counted, before it shouted out "Slytherin!" and she walked over to the table and sat down. Draco's mind must have been reeling; she was probably the first muggleborn to be sorted there. Speaking of Draco he got sent to Slytherin as well.

The second shock was when Harry Potter was sent to Slytherin and their whole table stood up and applauded. The rest of the sorting went normal and silent as usual. The roar of a house when a member was accepted was the only interruption and soon it was Blaise's turn to be sorted.

He walked up to the stool with an air of calm approaching and looking directly at it. He picked up the black tattered hat. It smelt like moldy potatoes and he cringed as he sat down on the rickety stool. Glancing crossly at the hat he put it on his head silently hoping he would not get lice or some other hair infection from the thing.

_Ah!_ a voice said in his head.

"Ah what?" Blaise asked.

_Oh nothing. I was just analyzing you, Mr. Zabini. A very complex boy you are oh yes! I see a touch of anger, a cup of wisdom, and a plethora of magical talent! Why you could be a model Gryffindor if you wanted to._

"But that's the problem," Blaise said grinning in an evil manner. "I don't want to."

_Oh I don't know about that; Gryffindors have been known to break the rules when it suits them too but if you insist. Well then how about Ravenclaw? You've certainly got the brains for it and if intellectual conversations are your forte you will be well versed there._

"Ravenclaw? And spend all my time talking to boring book snobs? No thanks! Besides, I know they like to learn but it's their work ethic I'm concerned about."

_Oh damn! You are not trying to make this easy are you? Well then if work is your way of life how about good old Hufflepuff? You'll sure to be finding friends there. Loyalty is put first and if hard work is good to you well there's no rhyme to complete this particular verse._

"No, I'm not fond of Hufflepuff. I had a cousin in there once I am not to apt to repeat history."

_Not Hufflepuff either? Merlin! We only have one choice left. In Slytherin where the sneaky and ambitious lay? I have a feeling this year will be filled with all sorts of things for you to remember and in Slytherin it's for sure that one day you will be great! Remember to come back and see the old smelly sorting hat when you're rich and famous. So off with you then boy time for the party! Slytherin!_

The last word was shouted out with a rude and gruff voice and Blaise stood up and placed the hat gingerly on the stool. The Slytherin table was filled with applause and claps as Blaise walked over to it and Professor McGonagall folded up her scroll of names and magicked the stool and hat away. Blaise grinned as he took a seat between Hermione and Draco and waved at everyone.

Just as he had gotten situated on the bench a magnificent course of food appeared in front of them on the table. There were hundreds of choices from drinks, meats, potatoes, pies, and even more foreign fare such as exotic animals and hamburgers. Gazing around at the spread Blaise took a simple piece of roast and some potatoes for his plate and a roll or two. Across from him Ron had already began digging in and was filling his mouth with all sorts of foods and drinks, Neville and Millicent were doing the same. Draco and Blaise exchanged a look from their charm school upbringing and stifled laughs as they looked at their friends eating habits. Hermione was a bit pickish in her eating and Blaise gave her a small smile as he tucked in to his own plate. Next to him Draco was having an interesting argument with a third year boy about Quidditch teams which Ron had seemed to get involved with as well as coins had come out and he heard the distinct whispers of illegal betting going on; only at Hogwarts!

Blaise was about to say something about Hogwarts, A History to Hermione when the distinct aroma of blood sausage hooked his nostrils. It was his favorite food. Checking to see if anyone else was looking he quickly scooped the whole container out on to his copper plate and began stuffing his mouth in a still-dignified way.

"Blaise," Harry said from next to Ron. "Who is that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?"

"That's Professor Snape, Harry," Blaise said.

"Hey!" Ron said, "How did you know that?"

"Well," Blaise said. "Because he has a big name tag on his robes that says Professor Snape, dumbass."

"He has a tag on his robes that reads 'Professor Snape; Dumbass'?" Ron asked smartly.

"Shut up!" Blaise said smacking him upside the head.

As the last of the dessert course disappeared the Headmaster, Dumbledore stood up and cleared his throat for silence. Everyone turned in his direction and gave their full attention; even the Slytherins. Dumbledore began his speech about the coming year droning on and on and on. Blaise's eyelids were beginning to get very heavy and he had resorted to pinching himself under the table to continue listening to the man's lament. Looking around at everyone else it was a shock to him when the whole school began to sing and he mumbled the school song along with them barely moving his lips. He smiled as Dumbledore winked at him and finished. The Weasley twins were the last to stop singing as they sung the tune to a funeral march and Dumbledore even conducted the last few lines with his wand.

Dumbledore dismissed the students to bed, after all they had busy days ahead of them, and ambled out himself. A Prefect or two waited for the First Years by the door, and showed them the way to the common room. Blaise walked with Neville, Hermione, Ron, Draco, Millicent, and Harry, which made the hallways crowded and tight as they turned to go downstairs to the dungeons.

"Yes," a boy with green hair and grey eyes said showing them the way. "Now this is the way to the common room never forget it or else you will be sleeping in the hallway until you find another Slytherin to show you how to get in."

They walked through the dungeons careful not to get lost. The path to the common room was a maze and they turned hallways three times left and two right to get to a portrait of an Indian lady with long auburn hair and dark haunting eyes.

She was wearing a long green dress that was made of satin and was lose fitting for what Blaise assumed to be comfort. She perked up as the group of students arrived and said "Password?" in a sophisticated accent.

"Trelawney is bonkers," the prefect said laughing to the woman. She nodded and bid them a good night as the wall her portrait was posted on slid over into the next one and an opening appeared. "Night, Esmeralda," the prefect said as the new Slytherins all entered in hurriedly. The wall swung shut behind the prefect, as he was the last to enter.

Several First Years gasped as they looked around the common room. Everything was decorated in a warm emerald and silver motif. The fireplace was burning and the fire had even been charmed to look green; which gave the silver bricks an interesting glow. The room was warm in temperature and almost made them sleepy. To the right was a platform and on it was a whole bookcase filled with advanced magical tomes and such. In the center there were armchairs after armchairs and couches for students to sit and talk or read. To the back of the common room were a few rows of tables for studying. The left held a hallway that was filled with doors; these were the dormitories. The ceiling was painted with a portrait of Salazar Slytherin surrounded by the students who had graduated each year since the inception of the school.

"Right," the prefect said as he made his way to the center of the room. "Its kind of late so we should all be going to sleep. In the morning at breakfast you will get your schedules and I will show you how to get to each of your classes or another prefect depending on how busy we are. Dormitories are simple down the hallway with the doors. The first door on the left is for boys and the first on the right is for girls. You cannot enter the girls' dormitory but girls can enter the guys'. Do not do it either way. Well, goodnight."

And with that he bid them adieu and went to his own dormitory as the First Years shuffled in to theirs. The boys said goodnight to the girls as they yawned and entered their own dormitory. Inside their luggage was by the bed picked for them. The dormitory was decorated with emerald and green bed posters and sheets to go with the wooden walls; the floors were carpeted which was strange for a wizarding institution. A window had been conjured on one wall with a view of the Astronomy Tower so all the first year boys could see any late night purveyors. To the back of the dormitory were the bathroom and showers; each boy had his own private facility so as to provide some area of privacy. Also strange was that each bed had a magical curtain that could be pulled around it to make it like a private room for one. Blaise was assigned the last 'room' on the right and Harry across from him.

Blaise walked over to his bed and flopped down, yawning. He was tired, and today had given him a lot to think about and write over. Gaining a sudden burst of creativity and energy Blaise hobbled off the bed and went to his trunk on the floor. It was a nice onyx trunk with an endless amount of space. He fetched inside and found his journal; the red one with the pen inside. He took it and layback on his bed and opened the red journal as the black pen fell out. It was his guilty pleasure; to use pens. He thought it rather remedial that the Wizarding world still used quills and he was going to change it one day too. Taking the pen he wrote down all that had happened that day before listening in on the conversation the other boys were having.

"Yes, Harry," Ron said. "In the wizarding world some people do believe blood is more important than power. And they are just overcompensating for their lack of it."

"I can see you saying that, Weasley," Draco said, "but it does matter. I mean we will not get in to power but it shows that you can stay the cause and want to help our line survive."

"Yes well," Neville said. "If it were not for Muggleborns I reckon we would have died out. No?"

"Okay," Blaise said. "Can we do this in the morning? Right now I am too tired to prove you all wrong which I can do and I need my beauty rest. Well I don't need it I just need to rest. Besides we have a very busy day tomorrow and I do not want to the one to fall asleep in class and get detention. Do you?"

"No, you're right, Blaise," Harry said turning over in his bed and getting under the covers.

"Oh, bugger," Blaise said, "I have to pee now."

Blaise got up and went to his bathroom and came back a few minutes later relieved. He got back in to his bed and under his own covers. Taking his wand from the nightstand in to his hand he said "Nox!" and the lights all turned out. He groped around and placed his wand back in the previous spot.

"Night," Blaise said to everyone. "See you in the morning!"

"If anyone in here has a habit of sleep walking, tell me now," Harry said, "that is a seriously wonky habit and I will be forced to use my muggle chorus training against you to let out a feminine scream of rage."

"And," Draco said, "nobody fart either. I hate when a group of people are sleeping in the room together and someone randomly does that in the middle of the night. It's bloody annoying and it stinks. If someone does that I am going to stick my foot up their arse. Especially you, Weasley, don't want any flatulence from you! A child might pop out or something."

"I bet you will be the one to fart, Draco," Neville said, "from now on we're going to call you the phantom wind."

"Hah good one," Ron said. "What was that? Oh, the Phantom Wind. Spreading gas throughout the land." Draco threw his shoe at Ron, and rolled over.

They all settled down after laughing at Ron and eventually fell asleep. They had found out Slytherin was a normal house just like any other…


	3. Slytherins Arive

Chapter Three:  
"Well," a voice said shaking Blaise. "I don't know which one is him"  
"Why are you all disturbing my rest?" Blaise asked waking up. Blaise rubbed his sleep-laden eyes and looked around. The voice had belonged to Neville who was standing in the middle of the room holding two toads that looked the same. "Well, which witch is which?" Ron said laughing. "Or in this case...toad"  
"Personally," Draco said rising up and walking over to Neville. "I was hoping the toad would be dead; my mother taught me this wonderful recipe for toad soup once." Draco gave the toads a little nudge with his finger.  
Crack! Neville had slapped him and there was now a red handprint across Draco's alabaster skin. Blaise, Ron and Harry all let out snorts of laughter.  
"How can you think of eating at a time like this?" Neville asked. "Bastard"  
Draco gave him the glare of death before turning on his heel and walking in the washroom slamming the door with a loud thud.  
"Someone needs a cold shower," Harry said giggling.  
"Now," Blaise said, "I'm unsure if that was a sex joke or a joke about what just happened"  
"Both," Ron answered.  
"I think," Harry said suddenly serious and deep in thought.  
"Uh hello," Neville shouted, "what about my toad"  
"Which one?" Ron asked laughing.  
"Not a time for jokes," Neville said on the verge of tears.  
"Relax," Blaise said jumping up and walking over to Neville after grabbing his yew wand. "Here let me try something from when I couldn't focus my magic. Incantations are old magic and fortunately my family has inherited the skill along the line." Blaise pointed his twelve-inch wand at the toads and began to concentrate. "Okay, there's two toads and a distraught owner so help us with this toad whose a loaner the wrong one can disappear and make it snappy in to something to make Neville happy"  
"Was that it?" Ron asked on the verge of hysterics.  
"It didn't even rhyme," Draco said sticking his head out of the washroom door. "Aren't incantations supposed to rhyme"  
"Merlin!" Blaise said smacking his forehead. "No it doesn't have to rhyme and look it's working"  
A spark of light had enveloped both toads and they floated in the air with eerie silence. The one on the right began to try and let out a croak and it's voice was mid sound when it 'popped' and a penny whistle was in it's place.  
"What the hell is that?" Ron asked.  
"I think it's a penny whistle," Harry said examining it with his bare foot.  
"A penny whistle," Neville said, "you turned my toad in to a penny whistle? This is not the time for music, Blaise"  
"Honestly!" Blaise shouted. "The real Trevor is still a toad that is the imposter, I turned him in to something that would make you happy. And I suppose penny whistles can make you happy for some reason. Why don't you give it a blow"  
"Oh Merlin! I don't believe I'm doing this," Neville said bending over and picking up the penny whistle from the floor. He picked it up and blew out a few notes of music.  
"Hey!" Ron said, "You're actually good, Neville"  
"I'm not sure that will ever come in handy," Harry said, "or will it"  
"What the hell do you mean?" Blaise asked.  
"I don't know," Harry said, "or do I"  
"If you do that one more time," Blaise said, "I will smack you"  
"I don't want that," Harry said hurriedly, "or do--- Ow"  
"I told you," Blaise said nursing his now stinging hand that had just made contact with Harry's face.  
"I wonder where the toad came from," Neville said.  
"Toad Land," Ron asked. Everyone glared at him.  
"First Years wash up breakfast in thirty!" a booming voice said knocking on the door.  
The boys all got up and went to their respective washrooms to get cleaned up before their first day of classes.  
Blaise entered his washroom and turned on the taps to the green marble tub. He got into the warm water filled with silver bubbles and musk scent and sighed in relief. It's good to have a bath, he thought. The tub was big enough for him to slip under the water and still stretch out and he dunked himself a few times trying to get everything clean. When he had pruned to his liking he hopped out and grabbed a silver towel with the house name on it in green cursive writing. Drying off he took a brush from the washroom's pantry and began brushing his hair into his favorite style: slick straight. Winking at himself in the mirror he wrapped the towel around his waist and walked back in to the dormitory. The other boys were all trying to dress and he walked over to his trunk and got out a pair of cotton boxers and his black dress robes. Blaise thought it a shame his nice robes were wasted on the preference of the school to use plain black robes. Blaise dropped his towel and turned to look at Harry who let out a slight shout in surprise.  
"Oh really, Harry," Blaise said, "you and your muggle upbringing to hate nudity. I have a beautiful body"  
"Narcissus?" Draco asked, sticking his tongue out.  
"You know, Draco," Blaise said. "I can find a use for your tongue if you keep sticking it out at me, mate." Blaise laughed at the grimace on Draco's face before turning his concentration back to dressing. He had just finished lacing up his boots when the prefect from the other night, whose name they learned was Robert, told them it was time to go down for breakfast. Blaise and the other boys met the first year girls as Robert escorted them up to the great hall to eat.

"So," Blaise said helping himself to eggs, "how did you lot sleep last night"  
"Fine," Hermione said taking a bite of toast.  
"Except for that Greengrass girl she snores. I wanted to punch her in her ribs I did," Millicent said taking a sip of tea.  
"Neville woke up this morning with two toads," Ron said tucking in to some bacon, mouth full of it to the brim.  
"That must have been a riot," Hermione said.  
"I turned the excess one in to a penny whistle," Blaise said, "you should hear Neville he's pretty good on it"  
"Doesn't it taste like frog?" Millicent asked.  
"No, Millie," Neville said, "and it doesn't taste like toad either. It taste like penny I suppose"  
"Neville?" Millicent asked.  
"Yes"  
"What in Merlin's name is a penny"  
"I think it's muggle currency," Blaise said. "Right, Harry"  
"Right," Harry said, "they use it in the States"  
A shadow of black was cast over the group and they felt the ominous stare of bitterness. Looking up they saw Professor Snape ,the man from the other night, looking down at them with a wry grin on his face.  
He handed each one of them pieces of parchment and said, "Your schedules!" before turning on his heel and marching off cloak spinning.  
"I wonder how he does that?" Draco asked.  
"He stuffs... has to," Ron said.  
"Interesting bunch of classes," Hermione said perusing the list.  
"I suppose," Millicent said, "Transfiguration with the Gryffindors and Potions as well. Defense with the Ravenclaws, lot of showoffs I bet, Charms with the Hufflepuffs, Care of Magical Creatures with the Ravenclaws again and Astronomy with the Ravenclaws every Friday night. What fun"  
"Oh," Blaise said, "even you are excited for your first day of Hogwarts, Millie," and he swatted her on the back causing her to choke on her tea.  
Blaise smiled as her face reddened and quickly changed the topic of conversation. "So," Blaise said, "how long before we get in to a fight with some randy Gryffindors do you lot suppose"  
"Oh, Blaise," Draco said, "I do wish you wouldn't use such words as randy when I am ingesting my breakfast; it excites my stomach"  
"That's just..." Ron said.  
"Disturbing," Harry asked.  
"Yeah"  
"I agree," Hermione said, "No one wants to hear of your stomach excitements, Draco, not even someone as perverted Blaise or Millie"  
"Speaking of such," Millicent said, "what could be a could nickname for you, Blaise"  
"How about...B?" Ron said grinning.  
"How about I will kill you if you try," Blaise asked.  
"Well," Harry said, "someone is a bit snippy"  
"Rawr," Neville said pretending to take a bite out of Blaise's shoulder like an animal.  
"I take that back," Harry said, "that's even more disturbing"  
"Okay, you lot," Robert said wiping his mouth and approaching the First Years. "Time for your first classes. You want to be early so as I can show you how to get there. I will walk you the first day to each one and then you're on your own for the rest of the school year"  
"Oh thank you, Master of Direction," Millicent said.  
"Well, if you lot think you can manage yourself I'd like to eat a bit more before going to my class go ahead and find it yourself," Robert said.  
"We will then," Blaise said standing up and grabbing the rest of the group with him. "Come on, First Years, March"  
Blaise gathered the rest of the Slytherin First Years and paraded them out in to the hall; there he turned to them. "Okay," he said, "our first class is Potions. It's in the Dungeons we are bound to find it"  
"Yeah," Millicent said as the made it to the entrance of the dungeons, "especially since it is right there, Blaise"  
"Well," Blaise said, "see that wasn't so hard. Now was it"  
"Guess not," a random first year girl said passing them by and entering the Potion's Dungeon.  
"I don't like her," Hermione said making a face as the girl walked past.  
"You just met her," Harry said.  
"So"  
"Women," Ron said giving Harry a look. Millicent punched him in the side and pranced in to the classroom herself.  
The rest of the group followed, Blaise in the lead, and found seats at tables all near each other on the right side of the room. The room was very cold and empty. On the board there was a welcome message written in chalk, "Welcome, Idiots, to Potions 101!" Blaise laughed at it.  
"Nice message," Draco said smiling.  
On the Gryffindor side of the room there were only two people sitting there... Crabbe and Goyle. Blaise guessed they were too dumb to be late and had decided it was best to get there early so as not to get lost. He cursed himself when he realized that was his logic too.  
The minutes ticked by and ticked by and finally when it was a few minutes before the start of class the Gryffindors came in with a noisy cacophony of chatter and ignorance. Blaise glared over at them; they had disturbed his mental choosing of what to wear tomorrow and he seethed silently. Professor Snape strolled in dramatically to the class and had just passed the first table of Gryffindors when the boy from the night before Seamus slipped in with a tall black boy in tow.  
"Detention, Finnegan, after school," Professor Snape said as he began writing on the chalkboard. He turned around blindingly fast and the classroom door slammed shut at the same time with a bang. Approaching the class he began a monologue.  
"I do not profess to think you capable of being Potions Masters," he said, "I do not even think you to be Potions Slaves. However, for the marginal few of you who will showcase an iota of talent in this very complicated subject you will be severely stunted over the next seven years by those in here less capable. Potions are not about smoke and big bangs it is a delicate art and those who master it can accomplish anything they see fit to do. "Well, well, well. Mr. Potter, our new... Celebrity. Let us hope you have inherited an ounce of your mother's potions talent. Tell me, Finnegan, what common yet important cure can be found in the stomach of a goat"  
Next to Harry Hermione bounced in her seat with her hand straight up in the air. Blaise looked back at this and had a hard time restraining himself from laughter in class.  
"Er.." Seamus stammered looking idiotic, "I don't know, sir. Why not ask Granger? Isn't she one of your precious snakes... I mean students"  
"Fifty points from Gryffindor for cheek, Mr. Finnegan," Professor Snape said. He sighed. "Yes, Ms. Granger"  
"A Bezoar, sir," Hermione said. "The cure would be a Bezoar"  
"Correct! Ten points to Slytherin. Let that serve as a reminder to you all: read your Potions tome. Now, I have written a potion on the board and you all should find the ingredients you need in the cabinet over there. You have until the rest of class to work on your Jolly Jams do not disturb me, I mean it." And with another flourish he strolled to his desk and began writing down notes of some sort with a long feathered black quill. He looked up after a few moments at the staring First Years.  
"Well," Professor Snape said, "what are you waiting for? Go"  
With a flurry everyone in the room had jumped to their toes and tried to get in to the pantry at once. This caused a traffic jam and several students even bumped heads trying to enter the door and found themselves laying on the floor almost being trampled. Blaise had been prepared for this and several students now had the prints of his black boots on them as he had not made haste in stepping on and over them to get his supplies; as such he was the first back to his cauldron and had already lit his fire with his wand when the rest of his friends had gotten back to their spots. "Now," Blaise said to himself, "let's see a splash of oleander extract, a little sprig of peppermint and some catnip. A few scales of unicorn horn and for that nice consistency some strawberry preserve." Blaise began to stir his potion, twice clockwise and three times counter clockwise and then he waited for it to coagulate. His potion began to give off a pleasant sweet odor and turned a pale pearl colored pink. He looked over at Draco's potion which had turned a purple color and grinned, looking back at Hermione's potion which was the same as his he gave her a small nod and frowned at Harry and Neville's own respective potions which seemed to be dark brown and smelling of licorice. Turning back to his own potion, he turned off the flame and began waiting for it to cool. Twenty minutes later when his jam had jellied and became cool, he grabbed a jar and began ladling it in flipping the lid on when it was full. He took his wand and wrote his name on the glass and then walked up to the professor's desk and handed it to the scowling man.  
"What is that you've added, Mr. Zabini," Professor Snape asked him.  
"A sprig of peppermint, sir," Blaise said, "I think it will tide the bitter after taste and help with the potency of the jam. You wouldn't want it to be too strong so that you were out of control with giddiness, would you, sir"  
"No, you would not. Excellent form, Mr. Zabini, you seem to show a talent for potions, perhaps if you keep it up you will be have a future career in the field. Now, back to your table. Ten points to Slytherin"  
Blaise nodded and returned back to his table as Draco, Hermione and the rest of the classes were finishing and bottling their jams. Just when the last student had put his bottle on the Professor's desk, the bell rang for the next class. Sighing in relief, Harry was one of the rest to rush out of the classroom door and the others meet him in the hallway.  
"Well, that was stimulating," Blaise said.  
"Yes, to think of all the wonderful things you can make with potions and devious," Hermione said with an uncharacteristically evil grin on her face.  
"You're joking, right," Harry said, "that class was one of the hardest in my life. I will never get potions, I know it already"  
"Well, then," Neville said, "what's next"  
"Charms," Millicent chimed in deciding to lead the way to this class. Millicent had made it a habit of directing the way to charms in the most confusing manner possible, filled with ducks, turns and secret doors it was an amazement to everyone when they found themselves on the third floor outside the Charm's classroom. "Well, I have to say, Millie," Draco said, "you succeeded in getting us here. Congratulations"  
"You had doubts," Millicent said putting her hands on her hips.  
"Oh, that's scary," Ron said. "For a moment you looked like my mum"  
"I'll take that as a compliment, Ronald," Millicent said walking in to the Charm's classroom.  
"What are Charms anyways," Harry asked.  
"Well, Harry," Hermione said, "anything a transfiguration is not"  
"To elaborate," a small man squeaked from a golden stool in the center of the room. "A charm does not change an object, it just makes it do something you would never expect it to do. Think of it as magic's own little surprises"  
"Oh, thank you, Professor er..." Harry asked.  
"Flitwick," the man said, "Professor Flitwick"  
They took their seats in the stadium-like stands of the classroom, choosing a group right in the middle and this time they were all able to sit by each other in a solid row. A little while later other students, Hufflepuffs, began filling the room in and Millicent and Draco made sure to chuckle at them; everyone said Hufflepuffs were a bunch of duffers.  
"Okay, class," Professor Flitwick said when everyone had come in. "Welcome to Charms! Not to be taken lightly, Charms are powerful magic and you will use them in everyday life. I always say the first day should be fun, right? So, let's start off with something fun the tickling charm! Now, after me, class, wands out practice the wand movements everyone. Good, good, you lot seem to be getting the hang of it. Now, the words are, Rictusempra! That's it, why don't you all practice it"  
Everyone lit up at the chance to be put on the spot like this and began repeating the words.  
"No, Ron," Hermione said, "you are just going about it completely wrong."

"Well then," Ron said, "show me"  
"Fine," Hermione said point her wand towards Draco, "Rictusempra"  
Draco's face got paler and suddenly he toppled over in fits of uncontrollable laughter, this set off a reaction in everyone else and soon they were all laughing hard at the look of derision on Draco's face.  
"Oh, let me try that," Millicent said point her wand at Neville, "Rictusempra"  
Neville got rosy cheeked and began having spouts of laughter too, almost falling over the desk banister of the seats and down a few floors.  
"My turn!" Ron said. "Rictusempra!" Unfortunately for Ron, Professor Flitwick had just came up to see the commotion when he said it and got the full brunt of the spell. The little man jumped on his feet in giggles before falling to the ground and shaking with laughter. "Aw," Blaise said, "look at the Professor, he's jolly"  
"Just like Santa Clause?" Harry asked.  
"Yes!" Draco said between laughs and this started a torrent of even harsher laughter in the group.  
The Hufflepuffs looked on at them with part fright and part amusement.  
"Oh, my," Professor Flitwick said laughing. "I do think I forgot to tell you the, counter charm!" "The counter charm... Good one... Professor!" Neville said hardily.  
"Oh," Blaise said jumping up. "You want the counter charm. Finite Incantatem"  
Everyone's laughter, that was caused by the spell that is, was cured.  
"Er...Thank you, Mr. Zabini," Professor Flitwick said, "ten points to uh... Slytherin"  
"Thank you, Professor and anytime," Blaise said nodding.  
"Well, class, that will be all for today," Professor Flitwick said as the bell chimed. "You may be dismissed for lunch, remember that next semester you will have an extra class, History of Magic"  
scene change  
"Well, that was an interesting class," Harry said as he spooned some potatoes on to his plate next to his pie. "I think I really can get to like that class, Charms and the Professor's not so bad either"  
"Do you have a crush, Harry," Draco goaded.  
"I do, Draco," Blaise said, "you have a problem? No, I'm joking, just wanted to see your face"  
"You know," Millicent said. "It's sort of freaky when you answer your own sentences like that, Blaise"  
"I'll say," Hermione said before taking a sip of pumpkin juice from her goblet.  
"You know what's really weird," Harry said, "that they serve pumpkin juice. I've never seen it for sell in stores"  
"Come to think of it," Neville said, "I never see it in any wizard stores either, nor at home. Of course it could just be my gran', she doesn't like sweet drinks much. It took the longest for me to persuade her to let me drink fizzy water and syrup"  
"How do you juice a pumpkin," Harry said.  
"You know," Hermione said looking serious. "That is something, I just do not know"  
"Yes!" Blaise shouted. "Finally, something the girl does not know. This calls for celebration, I'm thinking we sneak off to Hogsmeade and get drunk. Who's in"  
"That's absurd," Hermione said, "we can't get to Hogsmeade"  
"Yeah," Ron said, "it's not like there is some secret passageway out of the castle and in to a shop there or something"  
"That was oddly specific," Millicent said. "Of course, they would probably report us to the school or something for visiting, knowing we First Years don't have visit days and it's too early for them anyways"  
"I think there's something wrong with my eyes," Draco said squinting off in to the distance.  
"Maybe you're dying," Ron said excitedly.  
"Draco," Blaise said, "if you die I'm going to save your bones for use in dark magic spells and potions later on in life. Is that okay with you, or do I need to have a release form of some sort"  
"Only if the spells are to bring me back," Draco said, "oh wait. That was impossible last time I checked"  
"There's always a way to get around the impossible, especially when we have a witch like Hermione whom can be converted to the dark side," Blaise said rubbing his hands together, scheming-like.  
"Why is it that you can fix almost every type of illness with magic," Hermione said, "but yet wizards still wear glasses"  
"Because," Millicent said, "the intelligent look glasses give off is bloody sexy"  
"Millicent, you're eleven," Ron said, "you don't know what sexy is"  
"It's not red hair and freckles," she replied.  
"For once, someone else is the subject of a joke," Neville said excited. "Let's make some more Ron jokes"  
"I hate you all," Ron said.  
"Well, you have to learn to love us," Draco said, "there is no such thing as a house change and we're all you have, Ronnyboy"  
"Ronnyboy," Ron questioned.  
"I don't even want to know," Blaise said finishing off his steak and kidney pie.  
"Oh Merlin!" Neville exclaimed. "We have Care of Magical Creatures next, which means we have to go outside. I hate the outdoors"  
"Me too," Millicent said groaning as the bell for the end of lunch rang.  
"It's a shame to leave such a beautiful pie uneaten," Ron said as the pie he was about to take a bite of disappeared. "Bloody bell schedule"  
"I bring along entertainment whenever I'm required to spend an unwelcome amount of time outdoors," Blaise said folding up a copy of the Daily Prophet and tucking it under his arm.  
scene change  
The group walked out of the great hall whose sky was pale blue with white wisps of clouds floating by and out of the castle. The grounds were filled with the summer's green foliage and the air was heavy and thick with heat. The hot sun beamed down on them from the sky and an occasional breeze swept across their faces as they made their way down the stone path to the waiting Care of Magical Creatures teacher. The professor had wasted no time in assigning them work and they all got in to work groups. Blaise was busy reading the Prophet while the rest of the first year Slytherins tried to catch and dig up flobberworms.  
"You could help, Blaise," Hermione said as she landed in a pile of dirt trying to catch one of the tiny creatures.  
"But, that would involve me getting dirty and that is not fun for me," Blaise said looking up from an informative article about clearing up boils below the belt. "And, look how nice an effort you lot put in. No, I would just hold you back; it's much better this way. "Wicked! Someone's tried to break in to vault 713 at Gringotts this past week, oh the vault was already emptied though. I wonder what could have been in there and who could have wanted it"  
"Hang on," Harry said looking up. "Did you say vault 713? Hagrid emptied that vault before we went to mine, said he was on official Hogwarts' business"  
"Harry!" Blaise said. "Don't you see what this means? Our very first adventure at Hogwarts is about to start, let's visit Hagrid tonight and question him about the events"  
"Oh honestly, Blaise," Millicent said, "who do you think tried to rob it? Voldemort himself"  
There was an almost audible shiver from Neville, Hermione and Ron.  
"Pansies, you lot are," Blaise said, "nothing to be scared of; a name"  
"A very evil name," Neville said.  
The duration of the class was spent by the others trying to get Blaise to put down the newspaper and do some work. He, of course , resisted this.

Before they knew it they heard the bell from the castle signaling the end of the class and they were marching up the steps in to the castle and on to the moving staircases to get to the second floor and the Transfiguration classroom that was miles from any of the teachers' offices.  
"Welcome to Transfiguration," Professor McGonagall; the stern witch who had sorted them, said. "This is some of the most difficult and dangerous magic you will ever do, those who cannot take it serious will leave and never return. Now, you will address your textbooks, before we can attempt to do something such as well... This-" At this she stopped and suddenly in her place was a tabby cat with marks around her eyes. The class let out a large gasp and began applauding. Suddenly the classroom door banged open and Seamus Finnegan and the black boy from earlier, whose name they had learned was Dean Thomas came barging in.  
"Good thing that old bat isn't in yet, we'd be done in for sure," Seamus said catching his breath.  
"I don't know, something seems odd," Dean said looking at the cat.  
The orange cat jumped from the table and transformed back in to the Professor in midair. She gave the boys a stern look.  
"Well, the old bat is disappointed in her own house for being late. Twenty points from Gryffindor"  
"Sorry, Professor," Dean said. "We got lost"  
"I suppose I should transfigure one of you in to a map and the other in to a stop watch," Professor McGonagall said looking down her nose, "class began fifteen minutes ago"  
The two Gryffindors groaned and took the seats at the front of class, giving the Slytherins dirty looks.  
"Now," the Professor said," as I was saying. Take out your textbooks and turn to page twelve, read the passages until page fourteen and then write out why this transfiguration is important and why the wand movements and word phrasing is important. If you finish before the end of class you may give it a try. Remember, we are changing oranges into apples, the oranges are in that box on my desk." She turned her back to them and began writing down tomorrows lecture on her moving chalkboard with her wand. Next to Blaise, Hermione was already half way through her reading and fastly approaching the essay. Blaise had a sudden burst of creativity and skipped to just writing his, he figured the exercise just had something to do with transfiguring a foe in a duel. After all, it was hard for another wizard to kill you when you had already turned him in to an apple; right? After an hour had passed, Blaise and Hermione had already won praise from the instructor for turning four oranges in to apples. Meanwhile, Draco was having a bit of trouble doing the same.  
"Well, orange in to pineapple," Hermione said moving over Draco's fourth attempt at transfiguring over to the side of the table. "That is sort of close"  
"No, it's not," Blaise said laughing at loud.  
"You'll get the hang of it soon, Draco," Harry said as he had just finished his own essay. "I mean, when will this ever come in handy even if you do learn it"  
"I had hoped the essay would address that question, Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall said walking behind them and then around the room surveying everyone's' efforts at the task. After another thirty minutes and only three Slytherins and two Gryffindors mastering the concept, the bell rang and Professor McGonagall dismissed them for the day.  
"Well," Neville said. "At least tomorrow we won't have to worry about getting sweaty outside. We have Defense Against The Dark Arts instead of Care of Magical Creatures"  
"I'm excited however, I hear the teacher isn't that good," Millicent said as they made their way to Hagrid's cabin before dinner.  
"I met the professor in Diagon Alley," Harry said. "He didn't seem very, knowledged in the subject, if you catch my drift. I mean, I wouldn't feel very secure with him in the heat of a werewolf outbreak"  
"In the event of a werewolf outbreak," Draco said, "I wouldn't feel very secure with anyone"  
"So," Millicent said, "who is this Hagrid fellow anyway"  
"He's the school grounds keeper," Harry said, "He's brilliant"  
They came up to a shabby looking hut made from wood at the edge of a forest, there was a warm light on inside. Harry knocked loudly on the wooden door and they could hear barking from inside the house.  
"Hold on fang," a voice could be heard saying before the lock on the door clicked and it swung open. A giant man stood there looking at them scowling, he had a large beard that was beginning to grey in places and was on the hefty side; although that could have been because of his large stature and not weight.  
"What are you lot doing here," Hagrid said curiously, "it's a school night"  
"I wanted to introduce you to my new friends, Hagrid," Harry said, "and ask you some questions"  
"'Bout what," Hagrid asked.  
"Oh, you'll see," Harry said as Hagrid stepped aside and let them in; closing the door behind them.  
"Here have some tea and cookies," Hagrid said setting a plate of burnt looking rocks on the table and a pitcher of tea with some glass mugs of giant size. He directed them to sit on a large couch and he himself sat across in a large armchair.  
"Are these rock cakes," Neville said excitedly. "My favorite"  
"It takes all kinds," Draco said shaking his head and looking at Neville.  
"Hagrid," Harry said, "this is Millicent Bullstrode, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy, my housemates. Guys, this is Hagrid, the man who introduced me to magic"  
" 'Lo," Hagrid said looking them over. "Bit of a shock isn't it a Malfoy in Gryffindor, how'd your dad take the news"  
"Gryffindor," Draco said. "Oh, I'm not in Gryffindor, my father would kill me, we're Slytherins; the lot of us"  
"Well, that would explain it," Hagrid said taking a long drink from his own large mug.  
Fang, a large monstrous dog came bounding from the back of the hut and jumped up on the couch tackling Neville and licking his face all over with liters of saliva.  
"So, Hagrid," Blaise said, "how was your day today"  
"Fine, fine, I spent most of it chasing your evil brothers," Hagrid said looking at Ron. "Away from the forest, crazy lot those two are"  
"I wondered," Hermione said, "how come you haven't talked to your brothers about being sorted in a different house as them, Ron"  
"I just haven't gotten around to it yet," Ron said," believe me this summer will have plenty of room for them to make fun of me for being a Slytherin"  
"Can somebody get this damn thing off of me, please," Neville said exasperated and covered in water.  
"Oh, Neville, why didn't you ask sooner," Millicent said picking Fang up by his collar with an unchild like burst of strength. "You should speak up, I thought you might have been some sort of sexual deviant who liked that sort of thing, Neville, honestly"  
"Hagrid," Hermione said, "we did have something else to speak to you about as well right, Harry"  
"Oh," Hagrid said.  
"You remember when we went to Gringotts and you emptied out that vault," Harry said, "Well, someone tried to rob it right after that. Can you tell us what was in it"  
"Merlin, Harry," Hagrid said, "you can't be spreading that about. I was on official business for Dumbledore and if he wanted ye to know he would have told ye. No, no, what was in that vault is between Professor Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel, not any of us, just let it be and forget about it"  
"Did you say Nicolas Flamel," Neville asked. "That name sounds familiar for some reason, should we know it"  
"I should not have said that," Hagrid said beginning to shake his cup in nervousness. "Can't you lot just forget about this and go on with your school lives"  
"Nope," Millicent said grinning, "besides we need something to do with our time instead of learning"  
"Yeah," Draco said, "we like to think of learning as a spectator sport"  
"Oh, no," Hagrid said. "It sounds like someone's coming, you lot go out the back while I see who it is. It's almost dinner time, anyways"  
"Okay, but we will be back, Hagrid," Hermione said, "with questions too"  
"Bye, Hagrid," Harry said. "See you later"  
"Crazy kids," Hagrid said shaking his head with a grin on his face. "So let me get this straight," Draco said holding a piece of steak on his fork at Harry. "You want us to risk getting in trouble to sneak out after curfew"  
"Pretty much," Harry said before digging in to a potato. "Actually, yes, that about sums it up completely"  
"I'm so in," Neville said.  
"Yeah," Millicent said, "we're all in. Besides, what else could we do tonight, study or something?" This produced a laugh from all but Hermione.  
"What," Hermione said looking at all of them. "What is wrong with studying? I happen to like it, that way I don't make a fool out of myself in class like boys seem to do a lot"  
"I'm a bigger person," Blaise said, "I'm going to let that one go. So, has anyone thought anymore about this Nicolas Flamel guy? His name sounds vaguely like something I've heard somewhere"  
"No," they all said in unison.  
"I was afraid of that," Blaise said taking a swig of pumpkin juice.  
"Candy, anyone, candy," a fourth year with pink hair said from down the table.  
"How much," Blaise said.  
"A knut for a bag," the girl said.  
"I'll take two," Blaise said getting up and giving his money to the girl. "Thanks"  
"What," Blaise said looking at his friends. "If we have to sneak out, I figured I would bring some energy food. If I was a health wizard, I would say this was good thinking"  
"Well," Hermione said. "That's not very reassuring"  
"Got any cockroach clusters," Neville said, "I love those"  
"Only you," Millicent said, "only you, Neville"  
"Tell you what, Neville," Blaise said," I'll let you have all of those I come across in here"  
"Thanks!" Neville said.  
"Oh look," Blaise said, "here's one"  
The desserts had come and gone by this point and Hermione had already stood up by the time they were dismissed from dinner. "Well," Millicent said, "you guys know what this means, right?" The other students had already begun running out of the Great Hall and to their respective houses.  
"To the library," Hermione shouted in an excited voice.  
They walked from the Great Hall to the staircases and Neville was making his way up ahead of them when he let out a loud shout and his leg went through one of the steps.  
"Wow, Neville," Millicent said, "I'm trying to think if I should help or leave you right now"  
"You have some sort of bad luck," Harry said walking up behind him.  
"What the hell," Millicent said and she and Hermione pulled Neville up from the sunken in step.  
"Someone should make a note of that step," Blaise said jumping over it. "It could come in handy not to you know, fall through every time we come up here"  
"Speaking of it," Draco said with a tired voice, "how much further"  
"Well," Ron said, "the library is on the fourth floor, so another stair case should do it"  
"I'm surprised you know where that is," Hermione said turning around and giving him a look of significance.  
"You know," Blaise said as Draco caught up to him, "for some reason I have a feeling that one day Hermione and Ron will get it on together"  
"Get it on," Draco asked, "you're use of language is so eloquent and romantic, Blaise"  
"Thank you," Blaise said as they had made it to the library doors at last.  
"Now," Millicent said turning to Hermione, "are we being sneaky or overt in this operation? And do I get to pummel someone"  
"No, Millie, no pummeling," Hermione said rolling her eyes, "and just act, well, like a Slytherin"  
"Oh, I'm good at that," Neville said smiling as they walked in to the dusty library.  
"So," Harry said, "any idea where we should start our research? This place is huge"  
"I figured we could split up and all hit the biography sections," Hermione said spinning around to look at the massive shelves of books inside the enormous library. There was a solitary double paneled window on one wall and towards the back were a section of books labeled restricted. "And then we can pass out from exhaustion, or die. Whichever"  
"Sounds good to me," Ron said walking over to a section of books along one wall and he started to pull volumes out and bring them back to a table.  
The rest followed and soon there were entire shelves that were empty from the amount of books the kids had taken and brought back to tables to read. They went back and forth, back and forth repeating this several times and they were sure the librarian would be banning them by the end of this visit. There was no mention of Nicolas in any of the books and they were beginning to get frustrated by an hour later; Draco most of all.  
"Damn," Draco said, "I think all of this reading is giving me eye problems. I might need glasses now. What to do you think, Harry, you wear them. What is it like when you need glasses"  
"Trust me," Harry said, "when you need them you will know. I did"  
"I would love to see you with glasses, Draco," Hermione said. "Hey, I cannot believe this but you have gone a whole day without making any bad remarks about muggles or muggleborns. Do you feel sick"  
"Strangely," Draco said, "I feel fine. Well, besides the whole glasses thing. Oh no, I cannot get glasses. I would be the laughing stock of the school, especially how good looking I am and all"  
"That's it," Millicent said, "just what we need right now. Some vanity to make this search even better, I feel a breakthrough coming on, anyone else"  
"Oh yeah, I feel it too," Neville said grinning hard.  
"Wow," Blaise said staring at Neville, "I am now at a loss for word over the way you said that, Neville. Seriously, that was just creepy. Are you sure there's not an old Roman guy rolling around in your voice reliving the past"  
"I don't get it," Ron said.  
"Well, Ron," Hermione said, "you see back in time the Romans were known for having pederasty rampant in the country. That is to say, they had sex with young boys as a way of apprenticeship"  
"Wow," Ron said, "I would have never guessed. So, did they get paid"  
"No, they did not get paid," Millicent said looking as though she wanted to smack Ron a few times.  
"Why," Draco said, "thinking of starting a career early, Ron"  
"Maybe," Ron said finally picking up on the sarcasm involved with Slytherins, "although I wouldn't want to put you lot out of jobs"  
"Fantastic benefits; the job," Neville said, "but I'm always sore in the morning"  
Blaise and Millicent let out gigantic laughs and Madame Pince; the librarian, had to come over and shush them. "Snaky Bi--" Draco said.  
"Draco," Hermione exclaimed cutting him off. "You can't insult her when she could hear us and ruin our operation. Idiot"  
"Whoever said subtlety was his field of expertise," Blaise said.  
"Why is it that I," Draco said, "am always getting insulted? Why Draco? Why not Blaise"  
"Well," Millicent said, "because you always say something stupid. And unlike Neville, who is stupid but in a loveable way with you it's just funny to make fun of you"  
"For some reason, I think I should be insulted," Neville said looking at Millicent funny.  
"You should," Ron said clapping Neville on the back, "believe me though, I too know that feeling"  
"So, Ron," Hermione said pursuing one of the giant tomes she had picked from a shelf. "Are you excited about getting a letter from your parents when they find out you are in Slytherin? I mean, I know you've had to mail them by now, or one of your brothers at least. How will your all Gryffindor family react"  
"Oh," Ron said, "my family aren't all Gryffindors. One of my uncles was a Ravenclaw and one a banker. Of course, we don't talk about either of them, but still"  
"Woah," Harry said, "someone changed the topic. I suppose I'm lucky though, my relatives don't care what house I'm in. As long as I stay there for most of the year. Sometimes I wish school lasted all year, I mean, a year away from Dudley and the Dursleys is pure luck for me"  
"I think we are going to have to have a talk with these, Dursley people," Draco said pounding his fist against the palm of his hand. "Put the fear of magic back in to muggles"  
"Since these people sound so rotten," Hermione said, "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that, Draco"  
"I'm so worried," Draco said sticking his tongue out at Hermione.  
"You should be," Millicent said hugging Hermione. "For a person who just found out they're a witch, Hermione has been very busy learning all sorts of jinxes, hexes and things of the sort. I'm sure she could take you"  
"You know what we should do," Neville said, "we should have a dueling tournament"  
"Only an idiot of a teacher would allow their students to duel without proper training," Blaise said. "Of course, we could do one inside the house, make some money off it too"  
"Is everything about money?" Hermione said exasperated.  
"Yes," Blaise and Draco said in unison.  
"I thought so"  
"I wish they allowed the Wireless Network at Hogwarts," Millicent said pouting and sitting on a pile of books that had already been looked through. "I'm missing my favorite show"  
"What show is that?" Ron asked. "The one where all sorts of cranky old bats floo in just to hear themselves on the radio and talk about magical cleaning while listening to the latest one hit wonder-wizard"  
"No," Millicent said glaring at Ron. "Sex Witch Radio. The program for the informed witch of today and couples; they have the best advice, like this one time "  
"Okay, no," Ron said clapping his hand over her mouth.  
"Are you sure you two won't be married some day," Draco said overlooking the two. "I mean, this right here is enough Chemicky, or whatever those muggles call it, to last a whole marriage. I mean, you could fight for other couples. Maybe even make a living out of other peoples problems; wouldn't that be nice"  
"Draco," Harry said.  
"Yes?" Draco said.  
"What the hell are you talking about"  
"No idea"  
"Thought so"  
"Oh, this is so boring," Blaise said. "This is worse than that whole year when we had to speak Latin and Ancient Greek at school"  
"I remember that," Millicent said. "You and I kept trying to find out as many ways to call Draco a queen as possible"  
"A queen," Hermione asked perplexed. "Is that a sexuality joke"  
"No," Blaise said. "It stems from this one year in pre-wizard school when we used our magic to turn Draco in to an actual Queen for a day. Bullshit if you need a wand to do magic, I loved being an unfocused wizard, things were always fun in class. You never knew quite what was going to happen"  
"We still don't with some of the geniuses in this school," Draco said rolling his eyes and giving a nasty hand gesture to Millicent and Blaise. "I'm not sure if that was directed at me, or not," Millicent said.  
"You know," Neville said and then beginning to yawn. "I think it's my bed time, I'm sleepy and we have homework for Transfiguration"  
"Yeah," Draco said, "come on can't we go already"  
"I think he's right, Hermione," Harry said.  
"Babies," Blaise and Hermione said at the same time. "Fine," Hermione said defeated and putting her books down. "We can all go and rest. Honestly! We're young, we can go a night without sleep, but no"  
"Don't worry, Hermione," Blaise said. "I'm sure you will get plenty of time to stay up all night once you get to Wizarding University"  
"There are Wizarding universities?" Hermione asked.  
"Of course," Millicent said, "what did you think we knew everything at seventeen? There are all sorts of things to do after Hogwarts, you can go in to Auror training or apprenticeship and University is for those witches and wizard who are on the cutting edge"  
"But," Draco said getting up and preparing to leave, "most of them end up in boring ministry careers. The only humorous things I've heard are that the Ravenclaws get beaten academically by the Hufflepuffs. Ravenclaws are apt to burning out in university"  
"That would make sense," Neville said, "them being the house of the hardworking and loyal, you know"  
"My father always said," Millicent said. " 'Always make friends with a Hufflepuff, they're the only ones who come to your funeral"  
"Well, cheery man, isn't he," Hermione asked.  
"We don't do cheery," Ron said doing an impression of Millicent's voice.  
"We don't make millions of children," Millicent said giving Ron a hard look.  
"Hey, no need to get touchy," Ron said holding his hands up in defeat.  
"I always like to get touchy," Blaise said tapping his foot as Hermione took her time returning her books to the shelf.  
"Careful with that," Ron said, "or you could end up on the nasty side of a hex"  
"Ouch," Harry said holding his mouth and biting a chocolate frog. "My teeth are beginning to hurt, I think I have cavities"  
"My parents might be able to help, they're dentists, might be able to get you a nice deal," Hermione said finally ready to leave at last.  
"I'm sorry, are you... joking," Draco asked giving Hermione a strange look. "Wizards don't go to bentists or whatever you called them, we have magic, remember"  
"Well," Hermione said, "I'm sure muggle dentists can provide a level of quality that magic can't offer"  
"Speaking of muggles," Neville said lazily, "how is it that when you have a muggleborn and a wizard producing children they are half-bloods; shouldn't they be pure"  
"Well," Draco said, "magic wise they are full wizard or witch, but blood wise you have to have magic in your family for at least a grandparent to become pureblood"  
"And, you know this how," Hermione asked.  
"Pureblood's Hand Book," Blaise, Draco, Millicent and Neville chimed together automatically.  
"Pardon me but... Purebloods' what," Hermione gasped.  
"Handbook," Draco said, "we all get them at childbirth and are supposed to read them or something while we grow up"  
"It's this huge book filled with traditions, rules and safety," Ron said.  
"Safety, against what," Hermione said.  
"Muggles, of course," Draco said rolling his eyes. "You have to realize, these books were first written when our worlds were open to one another"  
"Can we please go back to the commons; I am so sleepy," Harry said a little louder than he intended and the librarian came over with a sour look on her face.  
"Excuse me you snotty nosed little children, but library hours are OVER," she said in a sing-song voice ending on a gruff note.  
"Merlin woman," Ron exclaimed as she shocked them, "what in Gryffindor's name is the matter with you"  
"Gryffindor," Blaise said raising an eyebrow at Ron.  
"Sorry, habit. I did grow up in a family full of them after all"  
"Mr. Weasley, I presume given your appearance, as much as I would love to stand here and hear you lament about your childhood I have much better things to do tonight and it's TIME TO GO," Madame Pince said using her wand to shuffle them from the room and in to the corridor outside. The doors slammed with a loud bang and the sound of locks could be heard from behind them.  
"Well, whatever happened to service with a smile," Harry said brushing dust off of his robes.  
"I blame Hermione," Draco said glaring.  
"Can we just go already," Neville said, "I'm sleepy now"  
"Oh, fine," Hermione said, "I thought Slytherins were sneaky but you lot are just pathetic"  
The Slytherins made their way along the desolate halls of the castle in a sneaky manner, they had heard from a few upperclassmen that Filch was particularly giddy when catching a first year out after curfew, something about getting them while they were young. The normally long route to the dungeons from the upper levels of the castle was made even longer as they tried to move in a slow and calculated manner, they were almost ready to drop in to coma from fatigue by the time they entered the common rooms. Surprisingly, they were not the only ones up; in one corner a girl with bright yellow hair sat in a scowling, trollish boy's lap whispering in his ear and giggling with the symptoms of infatuation. Blaise and the other boys bid goodnight to Millicent and Hermione as they reached their respective rooms. Yawning with a sudden urge, Blaise was barely out of his robes and boots when he fell on his bed in a burst of sleep. Similarly, the other boys followed suite and were brilliantly dreaming within minutes.  
A sharp pain to his groin area rudely awoke Blaise, he saw stars flash before his closed eyelids and his mouth bit down on his tongue in surprise. He let out a yelp and his face flushed red with rage as he finally opened his eyes and sucked in a deep breath, Draco and Harry greeted him both wearing twin smiles of joy whilst Neville and Ron looked on in wonder.  
"Motherf--" Blaise said cutting off his words on purpose as he glared at the two boys. "You two better have a damn good excuse for that, now"  
"Sorry, Blaise," Draco said in a giddy high-pitched voice.  
"It's just that," Harry said continuing.  
"We're so excited... For"  
"Quidditch lessons"  
"You two idiots almost castrated me for quidditch," Blaise said furiously.  
"Pretty much," Draco said sweetly.  
"Enough talking," Harry said impatiently, "can we go now"  
"Fine," Blaise said rolling off the bed and jumping to his feet. Blaise ran to the bathroom and the next thirty minutes he spent preparing himself in the bathroom and taking care of his morning need to expunge his daily fluid from the night previous. Ignoring the looks of torture on the other boys' faces, Blaise asked them if they were ready for breakfast when he was sure they couldn't take it anymore and they were pleased to see Hermione and Millicent already waiting at the Slytherin table for them when they got to the Great Hall.  
"Oh," Neville exclaimed. "There is such a good assortment today, what shall I pick"  
"If you plan to fly and not get queasy," Blaise said taking a bit of a scone, "nothing"  
"I don't see you going without then," Millicent said nodding to his scone.  
"I'm different," Blaise said smiling, "I'm a professional"  
"Can we go now," Draco and Harry said together almost bouncing in their seats on the bench.  
"Fine," Hermione said sighing and rising up from the table.  
They followed her and a gaggle of other First Years out of the castle and to the Quidditch Pitch; where the flying lessons were to be held.  
The students all began to get restless as more and more of them began to show up for the class and still the teacher had not shown up. Just when they were about to leave and go consult their respective heads of house, they saw something in the distant sky coming closer and closer. Blaise placed a hand over his eyes and squinted at the object.  
"Call me crazy," He said, "but is that a woman"  
"I believe it is," Ron said grinning from ear to ear.  
It took a few minutes but soon they heard a swoop and the flying woman was hovering in front of them all, high above the ground, she gave them an appraising look before doing a backflip in the air with her broom and landing on the pitch with a sudden movement.  
"Good morrow, First Years," the woman said in a deep alto voice. "I am Madame Hooch, you're flying instructor. Notice, there are brooms on the ground littered about, now everyone stand next to one and place your hand in the air over it. On my count of three, you will look down at it, extend your palm and say 'Up!' Hopefully the broom will come to you, if not, well we do have all morning"  
"Now," Madame Hooch said calmly, "One, Two, Longbottom what are you doing"  
Poor Neville had started on the wrong cue and his broom had risen up and taken his legs from under him, in a panicky motion he had gripped the thing with one of his legs and was rapidly accelerating in the air holding on with only one leg. The Slytherins watched in horror, while two Gryffindors; Seamus and Dean began to howl with laughter.  
"Shut up," Millicent screamed at them.  
"Yes, Neville could be seriously hurt, you bastards," Hermione echoed.  
"Hold on," Harry shouted to Neville from the ground and it looked as if he got a sudden shot of adrenaline. Before anyone knew what the famous boy was doing he had jumped on his broom like a pro and was flying after Neville. At the same time as this Professor Snape stepped on to the field with a scroll in his hand from one of the children's parents and before he could draw his wand Neville had already began to fall from his broom.  
With a leap of hope and a strong gasp from the crowd, Harry rocketed up with a burst of speed and caught the flailing boy with his broom. Blaise looked up at the pair and pulled out his wand shouting at the same time as Professor Snape, "Wingardium Leviosa"  
The force from the spell powered by an extremely strong adult wizard and a young wizard grabbed hold of the broom and the two boys and they plummeted in a controlled manner back to the ground. After catching his breath, Professor Snape strolled over to the two boys and gave them a cold look of rage.  
"Potter, in my office, now," he said positively seething. "And, Bulstrode, this is from your parents. Good work, Zabini, ten points to Slytherin for correcting sheer and utter stupidity"  
With his words expressed, the sallow-skinned man turned on his heel and stomped away with a flutter of robes as Harry trailed behind him.  
And just like that, Harry Potter became the youngest seeker in a century and he joined the Slytherin quidditch team. 


End file.
